Process for cracking oil



Feb. 14, 1928.

G. EGLOFF ET Al.

PRocEss FOR CRAGKING OIL Original Filed Feb. 17. 1921 Mig@ i' llmatentedheb, ld, 192%,

UNlTED STATES GUSTAV EGLOFF AND HARRY P. BENNER, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,ASSIGNORS TO 'UNI- VERSAL OIL PRODUCTS COMPANY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ACORPORATION Olli SOUTH DAKOTA.

Continuation of application Serial No. 445,819, filed February 17, 1921.This application filed January 1-1, 1926. Serial No. 80,689.

This application is a continuation of our co-pending application SerialNo. 445,819, tiled February 17, 1921.

This invention relates to improvements in process for cracking oil andrefers more particularly to the cracking of petroleum oil by heat andpressure, in which the speed ot' reaction of the cracking as well as thecharacter ofthe reaction is facilitated by increasing the speed oit thehydrocarbon vapor as it passes through the expansion chamber, causing asubstantial increase in rictional heat. This is accomplished in theapparatus by having the cross sectional area of the elongated vaporchamber gradually decreased. The active principle adopted is the slowingdown of the velocity of the liquid as it passes into vapor in theexpansion chamber by causing it to pass into a large dimensioned vessel,and then gradually increasing the velocity ot the vapors as they passthrough the expansion chamber by narrowing' down the cross sectionalarea of the expansion chamber. 4As the hydrocarbon vapors pass throughthe constantly narrowing expansion chamber, there is a rictional heatgenerated which increases the rate ot reaction.

il; typical run of this process in the apparatus shown in the drawingswould be to charge a 2l Baume gravity fuel oil from the l/Vayside Kansasfield through heating tubes at the rate ot' 25 barrels an hour, theamount of oil being relative, of course, to the heatingarea and thevelocity with which the vapors iu the expansion chamber are increasedand also the dephlegmating area. Operating the plantat a pressure oi'150 pounds per square inch and a liquid transiter temperature from theheating tubes ot 825 degrees F., barrels of tuel oil will be convertedinto 'l1/2 barrels of 58 degrees Baume gravity gasoline per operatinghour.

ln the drawing, the single ligure is a View, partly in side elevationand partly in vertical section, of our improved apparatus.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 1 designates the turnace,having burner 2, stack 3, combustion chamber Ll. In the V furnace ismounted the heating coil-5 connected to Jfeed line 6 having throttlevalve 7 to the feed pump 8. The lower or discharge end ot the coil isconnected to transier line 9, having throttle valve l0. This transiterline t) connects to the upper part ot an ei;-

pansion chamber 11. This expansion chamber 11 is provided with manholeplates 12 and liquid draw-oil pipe 13 controlled by throttle valve 14:.

The delivery end of the expansion chamber is connected by vapor outlet15 having throttle valve 16, which vapor outlet extends into the lowerpart of a. vertical dephlegmator 17, and is provided with the spaced capmember 18, the arrangement being such as to permit the vapors to passfreely into the dephlegmator but preventing the relux condensate fromfalling back into the expansion chamber. The dephlegmator is providedwith batllcs 19 and a reflux drawotl' pipe 2() controlled by throttlevalve 21 and leading back to the feed line 6. If desired, a check valve22 may be interposed in the line 20. The upper end of the dephlegmatoris connected by vapor pipe 23 having throttle valve 24 to condenser coil25 seated in condenser box 26. The lower end of the coil is connected bypipe 27 and throttle valve 28 to the top of receiver 29. This receiveris provided with liquid level gauge 30, pressure gauge 31, liquid drawodpipe 32, controlled by throttle valve 33, and gas outlet pipe 34controlled by throttle valve 35. l/Ve also provide the line 2() withley-pass pipe 86 controlled by throttle valve 37 whereby the refluxcondensate may be drawn oil' elsewhere or delivered to the inlet sideot' the pump, as for example, where differential pressures aremaintained on various parts of the system. ln the illustrative rungiven, a uniform pressure was maintained throughout the system.

Referring back to the expansion chamber 11, it preferably takes the formof an elongated shell ot relatively large diameter at its inlet end asshown at a, and gradually tapering towards its discharge end at b. Thearrangement is such that the speed of the vapors is increased as theypass through the expansion chamber for the purpose hereinbetore setforth.

We claim as our invention:

1. A continuous process for cracking hydrocarbon oil, consisting inraising the oil to a cracking temperature while advancing in arestricted stream through a heating zone, in delivering the highlyheated oil to one end only otl an enlarged reaction zone, in graduallyincreasing the velocity of tlow of the evolved vapors from the inlet tosaid enlarged reaction zone to the outlet of said enlarged reaction zoneto accelerate the rate of conversion, in passing the evolved va.

pors from said enlarged reaction zone to a dephlegmator wherein theinsuiciently cracked vapors are condensed, in returning such condensedfractions to saidv stream of oil to be united therewith forretreatinent, in taking olf the uncondensed vapors `from saiddephlegniator for condensation and collection, and in'maintaining a selfgenerated superatmospheric vapor pressure on the oil undergoingconversion.

2. A continuous process for cracking hydrocarbon oil, consisting ininitially raising the oil to a cracking temperature, in introducing theheated oil to one end only of an enlarged reaction zone, in` graduallyaccelerating the velocity of flow of the evolved vapors from the inletto said enlarged reaction.

zone to the outlet from said enlarged reaction zone, in passing evolvedvapors from said enlarged reaction zone to a dephlegmator wherein the-insufliciently cracked fractions of the vapors` are condensed formingreflux condensate in uniting such reiux condensate with the oilundergoing said initial heat treatment, in taking oil the uncondensedvapors from said dephlegmator for condensation and collection, inwithdrawing unvaporized residual oil :from said enlarged reaction zoneto be isolated from the system, and in maintaining a self generatedsuperatmospheric vapor pressure on the oil undergoing conversion.

3. A continuous process for cracking hydr'ocarbon oil, consisting inheating the oil while passing through a coil disposed within a furnace,in delivering the oil to .one end only of an enlargedreaction zonewherein the vapors evolved from the oil initially flow at a relativelylow velocity, and in then causing the velocity flow of the vapors to begraduall7 increased until they are discharged rom said enlarged reactionzone, in passing the vapors discharged from'said enlarged reaction zoneto a dephlegmator wherein the insuiiciently cracked vapors arecondensed, in passing the vapors uncondensed 1n the dephlegmator to afinal condenser for condensation, 1n collecting the resultingdistillate, and in maintaining a superatmospheric pressure on the oilundergoing conversion.

GUsTAv EGLorr. HARRY r. BENNER.

